Progress of the $3.5 billion standard gauge railway and peace talks to end war in South Sudan will be top on the agenda when top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi visits Kenya Saturday.

An itinerary provided by the Chinese embassy in Nairobi indicates that Mr Wang Yi, China’s Foreign Affairs Minister will meet with President Uhuru Kenyatta before holding talks with his Foreign Affairs counterpart Amina Mohamed “where addition cooperation agreements will be signed.”

The visit follows another by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang last May which culminated in 17 agreements on multimillion dollar projects ranging from transport, environment, energy and diplomatic relations. But it will only be the second time since 2010 that a Chinese Foreign minister has toured Kenya.

READ: Kenya’s shift to Beijing rewarded by $712m in loans

The meeting with Ms Mohamed will also involve top officials from line ministries in charge of these projects which include the SGR whose financing is provided by the Chinese Exim Bank to the tune of 90 per cent.

Wang is on Sunday expected to tour the construction site of the first phase of the regional railway project set to run from Mombasa to Nairobi, and covering a distance of 485km.

Friday, the Chinese embassy spokesman Mao Yizong told the The EastAfrican the visit is “routine” and meant to boost relations with Kenya in particular and Africa in general.

“This is a tradition that has been maintained for the last 25 years. It symbolises the thriving good relations that the two countries enjoy at the moment,” he said.

“He will also be here to check the progress of the agreements and development projects signed last year as well as improve China-Kenya relations. “

The initial phase of the SGR is being constructed by the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC). Its construction was perpetually delayed from 2013 following legal squabbles surrounding its tendering as well as financial sources to compensate those who should give land.

In May last year, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang signed a deal with President Kenyatta in which China’s Exim Bank was to finance 90 per cent of the cost as Kenya footed 10 per cent. Kenya has since announced that it had started to compensate land owners.

READ: Region lobbying China to jointly finance rail project

Critics argue that the agreements could indebt Kenya more and that the very natures of terms of repayment of loans are not clear to the public. The Chinese though insist the projects only represent mutual understanding as guided by its foreign policy on “sincerity, real results, affinity and good faith for China’s relations with Africa.”

It is completion is scheduled for Budget Day in 2017 and is expected to continue on linking other East African countries. But its usefulness in the region will also depend on the political stability.

Sources said Mr Wang will be in the country to “show support” for peace talks on South Sudan which are currently being conducted by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad). Igad includes Kenya, Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda, Somalia, Ethiopia and Djibouti.

In his December speech, Mr Wang had said China will be “committed to dialogue, consultation and peacefully resolving disputes concerning sovereignty,” but said it will largely stick to its policy of non-interference.

However, China previously appointed a special envoy on South Sudan to do shuttle diplomacy by meeting both parties to the conflict.

READ: China presses South Sudan over renewed violence

His 2015 tour will see him also visiting Sudan, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

This will be Wang’s second such visit to Africa since he took office in 2013. Kenya was not in his last visit in January 2014 when he toured Ethiopia, Djibouti, Ghana and Senegal.